Bicycle



Dec. 17,1940. G. w. KKLLIN, JR 2,225,304

BICYCLE Filed Jan. 31, 1940 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED sures 2,225,304 BICYCLE.

George Washington mum, Jr., West- Huntington, W. Va.

Application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,594

6 Claims. (01.280-258) This invention relates generally to improvements in wheeled vehicles and pertains particularly to an improved bicycle. v

A primary object of the present invention. is to provide a bicycle having pedal operating or driving means wherein the said operating. pedals are constructed and arranged in such a manner as to enable the rider of the vehicle to propel the same by an up and down movement or the feet instead of requiring the movement'of'the feet along circular paths as is the case in the operation of bicycles of the well known conventlonal design.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bicycle wherein the operating pedals are moved up and down in substantially vertical paths and wherein a novel construction is provided for transmitting power from the pedals to a sprocket gear through the medium of a single driving shaft.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bicycle structure having a pair of pedals supported upon a driving axle and extending forwardly therefrom and having a novel ratchet and pawl connection between the pedals and a driving sprocket which facilitates the transmission of operating power to the rear wheel of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a bicycle structure of 'the character stated. a novel means for housing-or enclosing the ratchet and pawl mechanism wherebysuch mechanism may be kept immersed in oil or grease, the means for retaining the-oil and grease around such mechanism rotating with the mechanism and with the'driving sprocket wheel.

Further objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceedsand the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the bicycle structure showing the operating mechanism therefor which constitutes the'present invention. Figure 2'is a horizontal partial sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view in side elevation upon'an enlarged scale'of the driving sprocket wheel and the ratchet mechanism coupling the pedals thereto, a portion of the structure being broken away. Referring now more particularly to the draw ing, the numeral 9 generally designates the frame structure of the bicycle, the front and rear mud guards therefor being indicated by the'numeral II and covering the usual front and rear wheels Il'.v I

The numerals i5 and I6, respectively, designate ,double front and rear lower bars which form a part of the frame structure, these bars 5 being coupled together at their adjacent ends by 'an interposed transversely directed cylindrical housing ll. f

Extending axially through this housing I! is a driving axle 21 which, at the, left side of the 10 vehicle, is connected integrally with the for-v wardly extending pedal lever I. Surrounding the axle 21 within the housing i1 is a bearing sleeve 28 which at its ends cooperates with the bearing cones i3 and M to rotatably support the axle. 15 Upon the outer endoi the axle is a nut 25 which bears against the left bearing cone i3,'this nut being screwed on to the axle and functioning to maintain the same against'axial movement.

Upon the right side of the vehicle there is go mounted alarge driving sprocket wheel 8 which is mounted upon the axle to turn freely thereon. This, sprocket wheel turns against'the adjacent end of the axle housing I! and securedto the sprocket wheel upon the opposite side from the 25 housing I1 is a ratchet gear l2 which turns with the sprocket wheel.

Mounted upon the axle 21 upon the outer side of the ratchet gear is a collar 26 which is secured to the axle by a pin or bolt 26'. This collar 30 maintains the sprocket wheel and ratchet gear in position against the end of the housing I! and prevents axial movement of these elements on the axle. The collar 26 carries an upstanding finger 1" upon the upper end of which is pivotally 35 mounted a pawl 'I. This pawl extends forwardly over the top of the ratchet gear for engagement with the teeth thereof and this pawl is shifted together with the supporting collar 26 when the axle 21 is rocked by movement of the pedal lever I to impart rotary movement to the ratchet gear and the sprocket wheel attached thereto. A spring 23 connects the pawl I with the supporting finger I and normally draws the pawl into engagement with the ratchet wheel. As is clearly shown in Figure 2, the axle 21 extends a substantial distance beyond the collar 26 and this extended and of the axle has oscillatably mounted thereon a sleeve 28' with which is integrally connected the right hand pedal lever 50 2. This pedal lever-sleeve is held in position against axial movement on the axle by the eastellated nut 22 which is threaded upon the end, of the axle. A suitable washer-or other friction reducing means 2| is inserted between the cas- 55 tellsted nut and the end of the pedal lever sleeve.

directed oppositely tothe pswl I and s pullsprins therstchet wheelor 'gesr. s

It be; seenirom the 'ioresoini :thst; he

l the pedsl lever sleeve I8" csrries s" down-w wsrdly extendins iinser 2| upon the end oi whichu ispivotsllv supported the'pswl IO. Thispswlis e es and other] er remsius xit muse re ion, with to elect ltn ltumm d sprocket wheel From minimllmilhlimbersof mmblop ltts is employed us in x'whichfthe construction sud sri l the pedal levers isrid '2, both of which-{extend torwsrdlv with respect to the sxlei 21, are working up snddown by s rider on the vehicle the pswls I sud Ilwillhe'ectusted withlrespect to th rstchetzesr to alternately; import rotary thrus theretoso us to eiiect theltrsnsmission oi wise rotation to the sprocket wheel.

Operstively coupledwith the rear wheel of;

vehicle is s'driven sprocket lllsnd sprocket wheel is connectediwith thesis! or;

main driving wheel I bythe sprocket chsin 6.

extendins' strsnsversely of p wheel sad to themrenr wheelioi theqvehicle may be sccomplished without s great deslv, or eiiort.

I clsim: 1 it 1;. Iii: hicy cle oi eicherscterstst'edmirame having out sndresr supportinz wheelsi en sxie Irsme lildjlllPr "rhenumersl ll desimtesshousins or cssinz which encloses the sprocket eer end the pswlslsnd sdjscent psrt'si'otjthe sxiei ind is mesns o! fastening elements to the' sprocket wheel I concentric with tthefw The inner side Of'ithe 0N1!!! ldiec' in Mt mm which my wiping contsct the sleeve 'snd junctions to; prevent sresse :iroin escspinnthusthepswls arid the protect the mom psrts sgsinst dirt sad 1 srit which. it they were not coveredby thecssing ear berm mnl lri mme A can in addition topreventing we would enterhetween' the' movine suri'sces lluppo psirfot. frsmehsrs pedsliever l' mumnxme otherffrsme These trsmeslimit the vexticsl movement o't levers snd while the, downwerd movementof 1 p tthewhl is; of course, :[suitsblyfi closed tend; the" outer side i a:

well is provided with; centrsi openinzlthroush j whichith'e pedslf leversieeve il'ltextends inoperative positonj nd ssid :pblwlsli ctioning s s e up nl e epressi' of lubricant, with which thecssinmmsy be illl levers is eilectedn byi oi'theie'etoi'the: 1

levers; is brought: shout minus I ma l .w chiesew t b o games-a uariums rider of the vehicle iorcesthe pedals ll down pswl Lindependentlv otthe} operstion or the m n meow wmau "b ed beresdily spperentirom the'ioregoing.

wsrdlithe lever twill turnlthe shstt-Iltomove 1" 1mm rem lever lfs nd when thisistter leverfis sctusted pewl slpwithljwhich it is hected willv enuge s tootho! the irstchet A Ind impsrtturnins; movement thereto in operstionwith the ptfwllu- "Ihe sle'eve ,lll' w is connected with thelever I will the we ireely sud. independently. of may turning movement lever l. ,j By 1 this srrsnzementi the i levers em up and down, slternstely or both;

be forced-=down "st the some time sndl i-sllowed-fto move upwardly st the some time or any other sequence of operation between the levers may he established or one leveronly may; be actuated ypsv b lpled with-lid sleeve "lull connection Wiflllth seer, s rpswl coupled;

been providede ibicycle structure in I from the axle, and resilient means normally urging said levers upwardly to a predetermined inoperative position.

4. In a bicycle of the character stated, a frame having front and rear supporting wheels, an axle extending transversely of the frame and supported thereon for turning movement, a ratchet gear mounted upon the axle at .one side of the frame, for free turning movement around the axle, a pedal lever rigidly coupled with the axle upon the side of the frame opposite from the gear, an operative driving connection between the gear and a wheel of the bicycle, a second pedal lever, a sleeve carried by the second lever and having said axle extended therethrough, said sleeve being in close proximity to the gear, a pawl coupled with said axle and having operative connection with the gear, a pawl coupled with said sleeve and having operative connection with said gear, said panel levers extending forwardly from the axle, resilient means normally urging said levers upwardly to a predetermined inoperative position, and a housing enclosing said pawls and gear and having the axle extending therethrough for the protection of the pawls and gear and for maintaining lubricant in contact therewith.

5. In a bicycle oi' the character stated, a frame having front and rear supporting wheels, a tubular housing supported upon the frame and extending transversely of the same, an axle extending through the housing and rotatably supported therein, a pedal lever connected with one end of the axle and extending forwardly therefrom and from the housing, a sprocket wheel disposed adjacent the other end of the housing and mounted on the axle for free rotation thereabout, a ratchet gear concentric with and secured to the sprocket wheel, a finger secured to the axle adjacent the gear and extending radially of the axle, a pawl pivotally attached to the finger and engaging said gear, a second pedal lever, a sleeve carried by the second lever and having the axle extending therethrough, the sleeve being disposed on the side of the gear remote from the first lever and being freely oscillatable on the axle, a finger carried by the sleeve, a pawl pivotally attached to the finger and having operative connection with the gear, and resilient means normally, urging and mounted on the axle for free rotation thereabout, a ratchet gear concentric with and secured to the sprocket wheel, a finger secured to the axle adjacent the gear'and extending radially of the axle, a pawl pivotally attached to the finger and engaging said gear, a second pedal lever, a sleeve carried by the second lever and having the axle extending therethrough, the sleeve being disposed on the side of the gear remote from the first lever and being freely oscillatable on the axle, a finger carried by the sleeve, a pawl pivotally attached to the finger and having operative connection with the gear, resilient means normally urging said levers upwardly to a predetermined raised position, a bracket secured to the frame and extending transversely thereof in a position forwardly from saidcasing, and a pair of vertically arranged guide frames carried by the bracket at each side of the first frame and having a pedal lever extended therethrough, said guide frames limiting the upward and downward movements of the levers.

GEORGE WASHINGTON KILLIN, JR. 

